This invention pertains to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a supercharged engine having a positive displacement supercharger operating on the same crankshaft as the power cylinders.
Internal combustion engines are currently used in a great many sizes and applications. Sizes range from the very small such as may be used to power model aircraft and other such model devices, through those used for powering bicycles (or mopeds) and powered chain saws, to lawn mowers, ultra-lite aircraft, motorcycles up to the very large engines which are still used for stationary use in the generation of electrical power.
The engine under consideration in this application may be of relatively small size ranging from one which might be used for lawn mowers up to a unit for an automobile or other devices requiring engines of similar size, although the desirable features may be adapted to a fairly wide range of sizes of engine. The engine is designed to be very compact and very efficient. Efficiency is gained by the use of fuel injection, a supercharger and possibly an exhaust turbine. Compactness is accomplished by unique placement of the flywheel between the power cylinders and the supercharger cylinders.
Putting the flywheel on the double-throw crank arm between the power cylinders and the supercharger cylinders greatly reduces the overall strain on the crankshaft. The flywheel absorbs power from the power cylinders and uses it to operate the positive displacement supercharger cylinders without applying the combined torque load on the entire crankshaft.